The Ottawa Senators, parent club of the AHL's Binghamton Senators, have acquired defenseman Patrick Mullen from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for forward Jeff Costello.

Mullen will be assigned to Binghamton.

Mullen, 27, has appeared in 46 games this season with Vancouver’s American Hockey League affiliate, the Utica Comets, registering 20 points (seven goals, 13 assists) and 23 penalty minutes. His 20 points see him lead Comets defensemen while ranking seventh among Utica players in scoring.

Binghamton looking for a powerplay quarterback for the AHL playoffs, whereas Vancouver trades an expiring contract.

herb wrote:Cassels now with 70 points this season with Oshawa. Fantastic season by him. Too bad he has one more year in the OHL (he's only 18).

It will be interesting to see how he fares next year without Dal Colle and Laughton around.

You think Dal Colle steps into the NHL next season ? He's a pretty stringy kid at this point.

Yeah this is true. He seems like a real wild card, in that where he probably goes (4 or 5) looks like it's going to have some GMs who've made pretty crazy picks.. Calgary, the Islanders, etc. So maybe they pass him over and he drops to a better run organization (like the Canucks at this rate) and gets another year.

If he goes in the top five though I'd bet he gets every chance to make the show next year.. but yeah there is a good chance I suppose that he ends up back in Oshawa.

By the way, the Utica Comets sit at 26-26-7 after 59 games in a 76 game regular season - 7 points out of a playoff spot with 17 games to go.

That may not seem too spectacular, however they began their first season as a Canuck-owned affiliate with a 0-8-2 record!

Take away those first 10 games, and Utica is 26-18-5... anyway, it seems that their recent play is more indicative of a playoff team, and that is promising for the culture of the team when Shinkaruk, Gaunce, Fox, Costello, Kenins, and McEneny (and maybe Labate) join next year.

Maybe Travis Green will amount to something as a coach. Slowly but surely the minor league team is coming around. Baby steps. Ship out a few more vets for young kids and prospects and the team can start building from within.